PDF Wiccan Rituals and Seasonal Festivals

[Pages:12]Wiccan Rituals and Seasonal Festivals

Rituals: Casting the Circle

? The Sacred Space is the Circle

? Casting the Circle is the first ritual step

? Calling the four quarters

? Raising energy ? Opening the circle

Witch's Tools

Wand - symbol of air, thought, imagination, east Athame - symbol of fire, willpower, conviction, south Cup - symbol of water, life, birth, emotion, west Pentacle - symbol of earth, stability, the body, north

Wheel of the Year

Quarter days & Cross Quarter days Samhain (Oct. 31) - New Year's Eve, Endings and Beginnings, veil between worlds thinnest Yule (Dec. 21) - mid-winter, longest night, return of light

Imbolc (Feb. 2) - fertility, return of spring Ostara (Mar. 21) ? balance, fertility, new beginnings, cleaning Beltane (May 1) - fertility, beginning of summer, bonfires, maypoles, handfasting Midsummer (June 21) - longest day, emotion, passion, marriage

Lammas (Aug. 2) ? (Lughnasadh) harvest, thanksgiving

Mabon (Sept. 21-22) ? balance, harvest, reincarnation, contemplation

Samhain

Wiccan New Year ? Oct. 31st-Nov.1st - the end of the old year, first turning towards winter -the day that the veil between worlds is thinnest ? communication with the dead possible here - Feast of the Dead, rituals of remembrance - God as Hunter's influence grows; Goddess as Crone. - Bonfires, New Year's resolutions, contemplation

Yule

Mid-Winter (Dec. 21st) - longest night of the year - - rebirth of light into the

world ? new life, new beginnings -gifts, family, celebration of life - yule log, holly, mistletoe - Hunter gives way to Lover, Goddess as Maiden grows

Imbolc

Feb. 2 (Candlemas) - Fertility Festival - Thanksgiving, return of

spring -gifts, family, celebration of life - Celebration of new life, new births ? animals, babies, etc. - Feast of Brigit ? Maiden celebrated here ? memory, knowledge, wisdom, fertility

Ostara

March 21, spring equinox - Eostar, Easter - Symbolized by the

egg -fertility, fruitfulness - Seeds, new life - Cleaning ? physical and metaphysical ? out with the clutter, new possibilities

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